Coin-controlled telephone lock



ct. s, 1929. 1-: B. R 17309689 com CONTROLLED TELEPHONE LOCK Filed April18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Til 6'77, ill 5 4 fication.

Patented wet. 8, 1929 watts COIN-CONTBOLLED Application filed April 18,

This invention relates to coin-controlled telephone looks, and has foran object the provision of a lock for preventing the use of a telephonewithout the insertion of a suitable 5 Join within a slot provided forthat purpose.

Another object is the provision of a telephone lock of the characterdescribed, adapted for use in connection withautomatic, or dialtelephones.

Another object is the provision of a lock of the character described,from which it is possible to regain the coin if, for any reason,

the receiver of the telephone is not lifted from its hook after the coinhas been inserted into its slot.

Another object is the provision of a telephone lock of the characterdescribed, which depends for its operation upon the force of gravity,and yet which is provided with 0 means for preventing defeat of thepurpose of the look by inverting the telephone and lock mechanism.

A still further object is the provision of a telephone lock of thegeneral character described, which is provided with means for positivelypreventing use of the telephone, irrespective of whether the proper coinis in serted or not; it being understood that the lock is so constructedthat after a coin has been dropped in the slot and it is found that thetelephone is still unavailable for use, the coin can be regained.

This invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, someof which, with r the foregoing, will be set forth in the follow ingdescription of the preferred form of the invention which is illustratedin the drawings accompanying and forming part of the speci- It is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the saiddrawingsand description, as I may adopt variations of the preferred formwithin the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a desk telephone instrument of theautomatic or dial type, with the lock of my invention in operativeposition thereupon.

ELIAS B. ROSE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA TELEPHONE LOCK 1928. SerialNo. 271,027.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the instru ment and lock of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the instrument and lock, the direction ofview being opposite to that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is an enlarged side elevation similar to Fig. 1, with thetelephone receiver and cover plate of the lock housing removed and aportion of the receiver hook broken away to better reveal the operativeparts of the lock which are shown in normal, or dial locking posltion.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, a portion of the figure being brokenaway to reduce its length, and showing the position of the operativeparts of the look after the proper coin has been inserted, but beforethe receiver has been lifted from the hook.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 5, showing the opposite parts of thelock in the position assumed by them immediately afterthe receiver hasbeen lifted from the hook. V

In terms of broad inclusion, the lock of my invention comprises a detentmovable to engage within one of the apertures in the dial of anautomatic telephone instrument, to prevent operation of the dial as isnecessary in placing a call. The detent is operatively connected to abar for movement therewith; and the bar is arranged to be engaged underthe receiver hook of the instrument so that the bar and detent will beretained in dial locking position until the receiver hook is raised.Means are provided for retaining the bar in lowered position,irrespective of the position of the receiver hook until a suitable coinhas been inserted in a slot provided in the housing of the lock; and alocked compartment is arranged in the lower part of the housing for thereception of all such coins after they have been released by the lockingmechanism, which is so arranged that each coin is not released untilafter the receiver has been lifted from the hook, with the result thatif the receiver is not taken from the hook after the coin has beendropped, it will be possible to regain the coin.

In greater detail, the device of the present invention is shown mountedupon a conventional telephone instrument having a mouthpiece 6 supportedupon a standard 7 and base 8, and a receiver 9 adapted to be hung upon areceiver hook 11 which is vertically movable within a slot 12 in thestandard 7. This instrument is of the automatic type; and is providedwith a dial 13 provided with a plurality of apertures 1a, and which maybe operated after the receiver 9 has been iifted from its hook 11 toplace a call; it being understood that the receiver hook 11 isresilient- 1y urged upwards, and that the electric circuit connectingthe instrument to the central station, is established automatically whenthe hook 11 is lifted. The weight of the receiver 9 is such that whenhung upon the hook 11, it will retain the hook 11 in lowered positionagainst the action of the resilient means tending to raise the hook.

lhe lock of the present invention is en cased in a housing 16 having abracket 17 adapted to be extended around the standard 7 and securelylocked in position thereupon by screws 18 or their equivalent.

A bar 21 is disposed vertically within the housing 16, and is capable oflongitudinal sliding movement. The upper end 22 of the bar 21 extendsthrough a suitable slot in the top of the housing 16 to a positionclosely below the arm 23 of the receiver hook 11. The effective lengthof the bar 21 may be varied by turning an adjusting screw 2 1 which isthreaded into the top of the bar 21, and then tightening a locking nut26 to retain the screw 2% in adjusted position. The screw 2d should beadjusted so that the bar 21 is moved to its lowermost position when thehook 11 is lowered to the position occupied thereby when the receiver 9is supported thereupon.

An arm 27 is mounted for rotary movement upon a pivot pin 28 which isrigid with the housing 16 and passes loosely through the arm 27 adjacent.one end 29 thereof. A pivot pin 31 joins the lower end 32 of the bar 21to the arm 27 at a point bet-ween the pivot pin 28 and the outer end 33of the arm 27;, and a coil spring 8% is under tension bet-ween a bracket36 rigid with the bottom of the housing 16 and the end 29 of the arm 27,with the result that the arm 27 is continually urged Lo rotate upon thepivot pin 28 in that direction which will raise the bar 21.

A detent 37 is pivoted at its upper end to the outer end 33 of the arm27 as by a pivot pin 38, and depends therefrom through a slot in thebottom of the housing 16 in such position that its lower end 39 normallyis inserted in one of the holes 14 inthe dial 13, effectually preventingrotation thereof.

Coin releasable means for locking the bar 21, and with it the detent 37,in dial locking position, are provided. A shoulder 11 formed adjacentthe lower end 32 of the bar 21. A lever 42 is pivoted by a pivot pin 13to the housing 16 at a point higher than the shoulder 11 and slightly toone side of the bar 21, and is provided at one end with a ratchet d4;extending downwards therefrom to engage the shoulder 11 and hold the bar21 against upward movement when the lever 42 and ratchet 4-1 are in theposition shown in Fig. 4. A second ratchet 46 extends up wards from thesame end of the lever 42; and a second shoulder 47 is provided upon thebar 21 above the shoulder ll and higher than the pivot pin 43. Theproportionate size and arrangement of the ratchet Q6 and shoulder 17 issuch that if the lever 42 is rotated upon its pivot pin l3 in thedirection which will cause the ratchet 44 to release the shoulder 111and the bar 21 left in lowermost position as would be the case if thereceiver 9 were not taken from the hook 11, the ratchet 46 would engageupon the top of the shoulder 47 and stop the rotational movement ofthelever 42 before the lever has completed all the movement of which itis capable.

The relative position occupied by the parts when the ratchet isengagedupon the top of the shoulder 47 as described, is shown in Fi :"1. Theparts are so propm'tioned that the eight of the ratchets a l and 4:6destroys the s-..aole equilibrium of the lever 12 upon its pivot pin 43,and causes the lever to move to the position .ipied thereby when theratchet engages the shoulder 41. A coin chute 51 accessible through aslot 52 in the housing 16, is inclined downwards from the slot 52, andis provided with an opening 53 in its lower end above the other end ofthe lever 12. The housing 16 is so restricted adjacent this point thatwhen a coin 56 drops through the opening 53, it is retained upon the end5 1 of the lever 42; and the ratchets and 16 are so designed that theturning moment about-the pivotpin 1-3 resulting from their weight, isless than the turning moment resulting from the weight of the coin 56when supported upon the end 5a of the lever 12. As a result, when thecoin 56 strikes the end 5% of the lever 42, the lever -22 is rotatedupon the pin 43 so that the ratchet lat releases the shoulder 41. henthis takes place however, the ratchet 46 will impinge upon the top ofthe shoulder 47 as previously described, lim iting the movement of thelever 42,; and the length of the lever d2 is such that its end 54 isspaced from a wall 57 of the housing 16 a distance less than thediameter of the coin 56.

Owing to the restriction of the housing 16 adjacent this point, it isnecessary for the coin 56 to pass between the end 54 of the lever i2 andthe wall 57, in order for it to be released from the lever l2; andaccordingly, the coin 56 will not drop past the lever e2 until the bar21 has been elevated sulliciently to release the ratchet 4:6 from theshoulder 47, permitti: the ratchet 4-6 to drop into the space 58 betweenthe shoulders 41 and 17, as snown in Figure 6.

After the lever 42 has been permitted to rotate upon its end 48 to theposition shown in Fig. 6, the coin 57 is permitted to drop upon a lip 59which extends from the bottom of a slot 61 to guide the coin 56 into acompartment 62, access to the interior 01 which may be had by operatinga lock to release the door 64 thereof.

Since the rotation of the lever 42 upon its pivot pin 43 is dependentupon the force of gravity, I have provided means for preventing themovement thereof to releasing position by inverting the telephoneinstrument, and with it the lock housing and mechanism. A lever 66 ispivoted at one end by a pin 67, and is provided with a weight 68 at itsother end. The pin 67 is positioned upon the housing 16 closely belowthe pin 43; and the weight 68 is positioned closely below the end 54 ofthe lever 42. Normally, the weight 68 holds the lever 66 down away fromthe lever 42, but should the instrument be inverted, it would be foundthat the weight 68 would cause the lever 66 to drop onto the end 54 ofthe lever 42; and the weight 68 is sufliciently great so that itsturning moment about the pin 43 would then be greater than that of theratchets upon the other end of the lever 42, with the result that theratchet 44 would not gravitate out of engagement with its associatedshoulder 41.

Means are also provided for locking the instrument against use,irrespective of whether the proper coin is inserted or not. A bracket 71is mounted for pivotal movement with a pin 72 which extends through awall of the housing 16 into'the compartment 62,

where it is provided with a knob 73 by means of which the pin 72 andbracket 71 may be turned. Thus the bracket '71 may be operated fromwithin the compartment 62 to place it optionally in engagement with, orrelease it from the end 29 of the arm 27.

lVhen the bracket 71 is engaged with the end 29, the arm is positivelylocked against rotational movement, with the result that the detent 27can not be removed from the dial 133. When so locked, the bar 21 is similarly locked against longitudinal displacement, with the result thatwhen the lever 42 rotated by having the weight of a coin 56 imposed uponthe end 54 thereof, the ratchet 46 will impinge upon the top of theshoulder 47 as above described, making it impossible for the coin 56 topass the end 54, so that the person who drops the coin can recover itsimply by inverting the instrument.

I will now proceed with a description of the manner in which my improvedtelephone lock operates. Normally, the operative parts of the lockoccupy the position indicated in Fig. 6. \Vhen it is desired to place acall over the telephone instrument, a suitable coin 56 should beinserted through the slot 52 into the coin chute 41. V i hen the coin 56reaches the opening 53 in the bottom of the chute 51, it will drop uponthe end 54 of the lever 42 and be retained thereupon by the restrictedhousing 16 and wall 57, with the result that the lever 42 is rotatedupon its pivot pin 43 until the ratchet 46 impinges upon the top of theshoulder 47. This of course, also results in the release of the shoulder41 by the ratchet 44; but since the receiver 9 has not yet been removedfrom the hook 11, the bar 21 is still retained in lowered position. Thisfact facilitates removal of the ratchet 44 from the shoulder 41, becauseof the fact that otherwise friction between the two might hamper theirrelative movement.

Now, when the receiver 9 is removed from the hook 1 1, as is necessarybefore dialing, the bar 21 will be raised through the action of the coilspring 34. As this takes place, the end 38 ot the arm 27 is also raised,and with it the detent 37, wth the result that the dial 123 may now berotated to place the desired call.

As the bar 21 moves to its uppermost position, the shoulder 47 moves outfrom under the ratchet -46, permitting the lever 42 to com.- plete itsrotary movement. Thus the space between the end 54 of the lever 42 andthe wall 57, is increased sutliciently to permit the coin 56 to droptherepast through the slot 61 into the compartment 62. This of course,relicves the lever 42 of the weight of the coin 56, permitting it todrop backso that the ratchet 46 is out from under the shoulder 47. As aresult, when the call is completed and the receiver 9 placed back uponthe hook 11, the arm 21 will be forced downwards again against theaction of the spring 36, and with it, the detent 27 to dial-engagingposition. The ratchet 44 will then drop into engagement with theshoulder 41 again, to prevent operation of the instrument without againinserting the necessary coin.

I claim: i

1. A lock for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing'and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, and a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said deteut extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, andreleasable means locking said detent in dial engaging position.

2. A lock for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapt-ed to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end oi said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, means forlooking said detent in lowered position, means urging said detent toelevated position, and coin-controlled means for releasing said lookingmeans.

3. A lock for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby when Jthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a springurging said detent to elevated position, a shoulder on said bar, aratchet pivotally mounted in said housing to engage said shoulder andretain the bar in lowered position, and coin-controlled means forwithdrawing said ratchet from said shoulder.

4:. A look for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a springurging said detent to elevated position, a shoulder on said bar, a leverpivotally mounted intermediate its ends within said housing, a ratchetrigid with one end of said lever and adapted to engage said shoulder toretain the bar in lowered position, and coin-controlled means fordisengaging said ratchet from said shoulder.

5. A look for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a springurging said detent to elevated position, a shoulder on said bar, a leverpivotally mounted intermediate its ends within said housing, a ratchetrigid with one end of said lever and adapted to engage said shoulder toretain the bar in lowered position, the weight of said ratchet servingto destroy the stable equilibrium of'said lever and impart rotarymovement to it upon its pivot to lower the ratchet into engagement withsaid shoulder, and coin-controlled means for elevating the ratchet endof said lever to release said bar.

(3. A lock for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted i *ithin said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detentextending through the housing to engagewithin a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a spring urgingsaid detent to elevated position, a shoulder on said bar, a leverpivotally mounted intermediate its ends within said housing, a ratchetrigid with one end of said lever and adapted to engage said shoulder toretain the bar in lowered position, the weight of said ratchet servingto destroy the stable equilibrium of said lever and impart rotarymovement to it upon its pivot to lower the ratchet into engagement withsaid shoulder, and an inclined coin chute accessible at its upper endthrough a slotin the housing and having an opening in its lower endabove the other end of said lever to deposit coins from the chute uponthe lever, said lever and ratchetbeing so proportioned that the turninmoment resultin g from the weight of the ratchet is less than thatresulting from the weight of the coin.

7. A look for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a bar slidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a springurging said detent to elevated position, a shoulder on said bar, a leverpivotally mounted intermediate its ends within said housing, a ratchetrigid with one end of said lever and adapted to engage said shoulder toretain the bar in lowered position, the weight or said ratchet servingto destroy the stable equilibrium of said lever and impart rotarymovement to it upon its pivot to lower the ratchet into engagement withsaid shoulder, and an inclined coin chute accessible at its upper endthrough a slot in the housing and having an opening in its lower endabove the other end of said lever to deposit coins from the chute uponthe lever, said housing being restricted to retain the coin upon thelever until the lever is rotated upon its pivotal mounting, said leverand ratchet being so proportioned that the turning moment resulting fromthe weight of the ratchet is less than that resulting from the weight ofthe coin.

8. A lock for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said. instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby! whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a springurging said detent to elevated position, a shoulder on said bar, a leverpivotally mounted intermediate its ends within said housing, a ratchetrigid with one end of said lever and adapted to engage said shoulder toretain the bar in lowered position, the weight of said ratchet servingto destroy the stable equilibrium of said lever and impart rotarymovement to it upon its pivot to lower the ratchet into engagement withsaid shoulder, an inclined coin chute accessible at its upper endthrough a slot in the housing and having an opening in its lower endabove the other end of said lever to deposit coins from the chute uponthe lever, said housing being restricted to retain the coin upon thelever until the lever is rotated upon its pivotal mounting, said leverand ratchet being so,

sulting from the weight of the ratchet is'less than that resulting fromthe weight of the coin, and a locked compartment below said lever forthe reception oi coins therefrom.

9. A lock for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook islowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end within thehousing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a springurging said detent to elevated position, a shoulder on said bar, a leverpivotally mounted intermediate its ends within said housing, a ratchetrigid with one end of said lever andadapted to engage said shoulder toretain the bar in lowered position, the weight of said ratchet servingto destroy the stable equilibrium of said lever and impart rotarymovement to it upon its pivot to lower the ratchet into engagement withsaid shoulder, an inclined coin chute accessible at its upper endthrough a slot in the housing and having an opening in its lower endabove the other end of said lever to deposit coins fromthe chute uponthe lever, said housing being restricted to retain the coin upon thelever until the lever is rotated upon its pivotal mounting, said leverand ratchet being so proportioned that the turning moment resulting fromthe weight of the ratchet is less than that resulting from the weight ofthe coin, a locked compartment below said lever for the reception ofcoins therefrom, and means for preventing coins from passing the leveruntil said receiver hook is raised to permit the bar to be elevated.

10. A lock for a telephone instrument having a rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing withits upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook islowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end within thehousin and pivoted intermediate its ends to said ar, a detent dependingfrom and pivoted at itsupper end to the other end of said arm, the lowerend of said detent extending through the housing to engage within a holein said dial when in lowered position, a spring urging said detent toelevated position, a shoulder on said bar, a lever pivotally mountedintermediate its ends within said housing, a

ratchet rigid with one end of said lever and adapted to engage saidshoulder to retain the bar in lowered position, the weight of saidratchet serving to destroy the stable equilibrium of said lever andimpart rotary movement to it upon its pivot to lower the ratchet intoengagement with said shoulder, a second shoulder upon the bar above saidfirst mentioned shoulder, another ratchet carried by said lever inposition to engage said upper shoulder and limit the rotary movement ofsaid lever until the bar has been released by the receiver hook andelevated by said spring, an inclined coin chute accessible at its upperend through a slot in the housing and having an opening in its lower endabove the other end of said lever to deposit coins from the chute uponthe lever, said housing being restricted to retain the coin upon thelever until the lever is rotated upon its pivotal mounting past theposition occupied thereby when engaged by said upper shoulder, saidlever and ratohets being so proportioned that the turning momentresulting from the weight of the ratchets is less than that resultingfrom the weight of the coin, and a locked compartment below said leverfor the reception of coins therefrom.

11. A look for a telephone instruments havinga rotatable dial and avertically movable receiver-hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housing with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a springurging said detent to elevated position, a shoulder on said bar, a leverpivotally mounted intermediate its ends within said housing, a ratchetrigid with one end of said lever and adapted to engage said shoulder toretain the bar in lowered position, the weight of said ratchet servingto destroy the stable equilibrium of said lever and impart rotarymovement to it upon its pivot to lower the ratchet into engagement withsaid shoulder, a second shoulder upon the bar above said first mentionedshoulder, another ratchet carried by said lever in position to engagesaid upper shoulderand limitthe rotary movement of said lever until thebar has been released by the receiver hook and elevated by said spring,an inclined coin chute accessible at its upper end through a slot in thehousing and having an opening in its lower end above the other end ofsaid lever to deposit coins from the chute upon the lever, said housingbeing restricted to retain the coin upon the lever until the lever isrotated upon its pivotal mouiiting past the position occupied therebywhen engaged by said upper shoulder, said lever and ratchets being soproportioned that the turning moment resulting from the weight of theratchets is less than that resulting from the weight of the coin, alocked compartment below said lever for the reception of coinstherefrom, means operable from within said locked compartment forlocking said bar against movement irrespective of the position of saidlever, and a weight pivoted within said housing below said lever toengage the lever and prevent movement hereof by gravity when the housingis inverted.

12, A lock for a telephone instrument, having a rotatable dial, and avertically movable receiver hook mounted thereon, said lock comprising ahousing adapted to be rigidly mounted upon said instrument, a barslidably mounted within said housin with its upper end extendingtherethrough to engage said receiver hook and be lowered thereby whenthe hook is lowered, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent one end withinthe housing and pivoted intermediate its ends to said bar, a detentdepending from and pivoted at its upper end to the other end of saidarm, the lower end of said detent extending through the housing toengage within a hole in said dial when in lowered position, a shoulderon said bar, a lever pivotally mount ed intermediate its ends withinsaid housing, a ratchet rigid with one end of said lever and adapted toengage said shoulder to retain the bar in lowered position, the weightof said ratchet serving to destroy the stable equilibrium of said leverand impart rotary movement to it upon its pivot to lower the ratchetinto engagement with said shoulder, a second shoulder upon the bar abovesaid first mentioned shoulder, another ratchet carried by said lever inposition to engage said upper shoulder and limit the rotary movement ofsaid lever until the bar has been released by the receiver hook andelevated by said spring, an inclined coin chute accessible at its upperend through a slot in the housing and having an opening in its lower endabove the other end of said lever to deposit coins from the chute uponthe lever, said housing being restricted to retain the coin upon thelever until the lever is rotated upon its pivotal mounting past theposition occupied thereby when engaged by said upper shoulder, saidlever and ratchets being so proportioned that the turning momentresulting from the weight of the ratchets is less than that resultingfrom the weight of the coin, a locked compartment below said lever forthe reception of coins therefrom, and means operable from within saidlocked compartment for locking said bar against movement irrespective ofthe position of said lever.

I 13. In a lock for a telephone instrument having a movable receiverhook and a call dial, a bar engaging said hook to be moved thereby whenthe hook moves in one direc tion, a detent operably associated with saidbar to be moved thereby into locking engagement with said dial, meansurging said detent to unlocking position, a coin chute, locking meansbeing releasable by a coin deposited in said chute, and means retainingsaid coin in the chute after the locking means have been released anduntil said receiver hook and bar have been moved.

14. In a lock for a telephone instrument having a movable receiver hookand a call dial, a bar engaging said hook to be moved thereby when thehook moves in one direction, a detent operably associated with said barto be moved thereby into locking engagement with said dial, means urgingsaid detent to unlocking position, a coin chute, locking means beingreleasable by a coin deposited in said chute, and means permittingrecovery of a deposited coin until the receiver hook and said bar havebeen moved.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' ELIAS BROSE.

